Tongs.



I J. SENEGAS.

TONGS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, 1913.

1,1 16,852. Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

THE NORRIS PETERS C0 PHOTO-LITHO. WASHING roN. D. 6.

2m J5 ad UNITED sTATns PATENT OFFICE.

JEAN sn'mieas, OF NEW YORK,,1\T.-Y.

TONGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1914.

Application filed July 21, 1913. Serial No. 780.136.

sideratum, although designed more particularly for curling tongs or irons for-hair dressing purposes. As heretofore made these curling irons or tongs have been fulcrumed on a pivot fixed with relation to both members like unto shears, and in use the pressure upon a lock of hair has been uneven, being greatest adjacent to the fulcrum and but slight upon the more distant portion of the lock of'hair. In fact where considerable heat and pressure is applied there is serious danger of injury to the hair, and in any case the treatment thereof. is not even and uniform, and the best possible results are not attained. I obviate this difficulty, and obtain practically parallel bearing surfaces and uniform pressure upon the hair treated by means of my invention which consists in the construction and arrangement of parts herein described and claimed specifically, a distinguishing feature being the inter-position of an elastic resili-. ent spring between the members of the device in conjunction with an elongate fulcrum slot formed in one member whereby the pressure applied to the handles during use is equalized and distributed evenlyto and between the opposed bearing surfaces. Furthermore the elastic resilient pressure thus attained allows the device to adapt itself to the varying requirements of use, and to compensate for uneven distribution in a lock of hair under treatment without injuring or endangering the structure of any portion thereof. 1

Incidentally mvmethod of mounting the parts admits of their-being quickly and conveniently separated when occasion requires, as for cleaning, repairing, the substitution of a new spring 810.

My invention also includes, in combination, means for varying and regulating the tension of the elastic resilient equalization spring. I

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1,

consisting preferably of a set screw is an elevation of what may be designated as the right hand side of my improved curling tongs; Fig. 2, an elevation of the opposlte s1de thereof; Fig. 3, a top view. of the same; Fig. 4, an elevation of the inner side of the female member, the male member being shown in dotted lines and partly in section; Fig. 5, is an elevation of the inner side of the male member; Fig. 6, a sectional elevation taken upon line 7.7 Fig. 4; Fig. 7 a sectional elevation taken upon line 6 6 Fig. 4. Fig. 8, is a section equivalent t0 Fig. 6, showing a modification.

I have herein shown and described my .1

equalizing springs as mounted upon what is known as the female member F of the tongs, formed with the usual grooved jaw f,

although this arrangement is not essential,

since the order of parts may be reversed .l

Without deviating from the spirit and intent of my invention in this respect, and with like result.

The equalizing spring S isa helix of one or more convolutions fitting and seated in the recess f in the hub portion F, of the said female member F. One end s, of the spring rests against an adjustable bearing 1, P tloned 1n a threaded portlon of the wall of the recess P, as shown more particularly in Figs. 3, 4 and 7. The other end 8 of the equalizing spring S, rests against/a fixed shoulder m on the hub portion m, ofithe male member M, as illustrated more par ticularly in Figs. 4 and 7. In Fig. 4, this shoulder m is shown -inisection whilethe rest of the male member M, is indicated by dotted lines. It.will also be seen'thatthe said shoulder m is positioned to clear the end f of the side wall of therecess P, so"

that the male member, turning on the retaming screw R as 1ts plvot, may be swung away from contact with the shoulder m when it is desired to open the jaws f, m

The members F, M, are coupled together bymeans of the retaining screw R, the

threaded end r, of which engages with a female thread in the boss f, and the headed shank of which rests in a transverse slot m in the hub portion of the male member M, as illustrated more particularly in Fig. 6, the head of the retaining screw being countersunk as shown, so as to afford a smooth external surface. In the modification shown in Fig. 8, a threaded stud R,

I result.

As before intimated the jaws f, 112?, may

be separated to admit of the insertion of a tress of hair, by slightly spreading the handles f*, m", farther apart, with the shank of the retaining screw as the fulcrum. hen the handles are again swung inward toward each other bringing the shoulder m into contact with the end .9 of the spring S the ends of which bear against the members hehind the retaining. screw B, said spring S, tends constantly to cause the jaws f, m to close upon the tress of hair. If pressure is now applied to the handles 7 m to force them toward each other against the resistance of the spring S, the latter yields gradually and distributes the pressure uniformly to the confined hair,the slot m allowing the male member M to be slid over the female member for the purpose. In fact if there is any excess of pressure between the jaws f, m it will be at the outer end thereof only, and not adjacent to the pivotal support, and hence there can be no shearing ac- 'tion to injure the hair,. the spring S tending constantly to equalize the pressure along the jaws f, m by allowing the latter to adapt themselves to the pressure and to the thickness of the strand 0: tress of hair between them. For this reason very much more pressure can be applied to the hair than would be safe or expedient in the case of shear tongs; and hence better, quicker and more uniform results are attainable. In fact the equalizing spring S practically performs the function .of an elastic resilient fulcrum for the jaws, and the elastic resilient pressure imparted to the latter insures their substantial parallelism and uniform treatment of the hair. Furthermore by this method of mounting and coupling the members one upon the other the full length of the jaws f, m may beutilizechwhereas with shear mounted curling tongsonly about two thirds of the length .of the jaws thereof can be utilize.d,.t h e portions adjacent to the fixed fulcrum being unavailable. Hence tongs with shorter jaws maybe used, affording a lighter implement which may be more conveniently manipulated by the user, and with less fatigue.

In order to further facilitate manipulatlon, and protect the hands. of the user against the heat necessarily imparted to the jaws f, 972. I cover the handles f*, m with a non-metallic material n, of low heat conductivity, and hence am enabled to attain better and quicker results in hair treatment by the employment of a sufiiciently high temperature to expedite the shaping or setting thereof. And, owing to the. elastic resilient pressure employed, and the substantial parallelism of the jaws attained in use, a thicker lock or tress of hair may be effectually treated than heretofore with absolute safety.

The provision of means for adjusting the tension of the equalizing screw is of importa nce'in attaining accuracy, and adapting the implement to varying requirements of use; and the retaining screw R, while effective in holding the parts together for use, admits of their convenient and expeditious separation in case of necessity, as hereinbefore intimated.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

1 In tongs of the character designated, the combination of male and female members having opposed bearing shoulders and one formed with a shouldered transverse slot, a threaded member .coacting with said shouldered slot for retaining said members together, and a pressure equalizer springinterposed between the said opposed bearing shoulders of said members.

In tongs of the character designated, the combination of male and female members formed with opposed bearing shoulders and one formed with a transverse slot and the other with retaining means positioned 1n said slot, a pressure equalizing spring interposed between said bearing shoulders on said members, and means for regulating the tension of said equalization spring for the purpose described.

3. In hair curling tongs, male and female members,the one formed with a transversely elongated slot in its hub portion and the other with an outwardly extending hub having a portion thereof disposed in said slot, means on said portion engageable with the walls of said slot, a spring held in the one member and means for adjusting the tension of said s rin i p b JEAN SENEGAS.

Witnesses;

G ro. VM. Mlra'r'r, Dono'r'HY L. MIATT.

CW of t is Patent ay fifior five'csntsleach. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 1). G. 

